State charges trio with bilking investors out of $2.2 million

Authorities have charged two Central Florida men and a Jacksonville area man with securities fraud and grand theft in an alleged investment scheme that bilked Orlando area investors out of more than $2.2 million, state financial regulators said Thursday.

Walter C. Parsons II, Donald "Jack" Smith Jr. and Kenneth Ray Platter ran a scheme that lured investors with promises of "secure, no-risk" investment returns, but absconded with most of the money they raised, according to the Florida Office of Financial Regulation.

"The majority of money received from the victims was allegedly used by the defendants for their personal gain," the agency said in a prepared statement.

Officials said nearly a half-dozen Orlando area investors were taken in by the scheme, which was operated through two firms – Lighthouse Capital Development LLC and Parsons Financial Services Inc.

Public records indicate both firms were headquartered in the Jacksonville area and led by defendant Walter Parsons, 48, who also has a home in Kissimmee. He was arrested on March 18 by the Osceola County Sheriff's Office.

Platter, 51, of Saint Cloud was arrested April 16 by St. Cloud police. In an interview Thursday, Platter denied any wrongdoing and said he had no knowledge of the alleged scheme. He said he has fully cooperated with the investigation.

Smith, 60, of Ponte Vedra Beach surrendered to authorities at the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office on April 24.

A federal grand jury in Orlando has indicted two former brokerage executives on charges of running a currency-trading fraud scheme that bilked investors out of more than $11 million, prosecutors said Thursday.

Gary Davis is the co-owner and co-founder of United World Soccer, a sporting equipment, jersey and team merchandise retailer. The Orlando-based business has stores in Florida Mall, Brandon, Clearwater and moved last week into a new space at Downtown Disney. He spoke recently staff writer Kyle Arnold.